Refrigerator



Oct. i5, 1935- c. E. L. LIPMAN REFRIGERATOR Filed July 18, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l M. mam MM Gct. l5, 1935. c. E. l.. LIPMAN REFRIGERATOR Filed July 18, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 UCL 15, 935-v c. E. L. LIPMAN REFRIGERATOR Filed July 18, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 OOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOO OOOOOOOO OOOOOOOO OOOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOOOOO OO OO OO n OO OO OO OO OOOOOOOOOO REFRIGERATOR Filed July 18, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 15, 19,35

nEFmGERA'ron Carl E. L. Lipman, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Lipman Patents Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Applicativi; July 1s, 1932, serial No. 623,077 1o claims. l (cl. ca -116) This invention relates lto mechanically operated refrigerators and morev particularly to jrefrigerators especially suitable as water coolers although it will 'be manifest that the invention is not Hunted to this particular type of refrigerator.

Two of the principal problems encountered in mechanical refrigeration are the provision of proper insulation and the service,v repair or`re. 1o placement of the refrigerating unit. The latter` vis particularly important where hermetically sealed units are employed.

It is one of the purposes of this invention therefore to provide a refrigerator comprising a cabinet having suitable insulated cabinet space for either or both cooling water and storing articles,

In accordance with this invention the cabine-t` is constructed with a removable walll which is utilized as the carrier for the `entire unit and which is preferably supported in such a mannerA that the wall and unit may be moved and latched into position with a minimum amount of effort and mechanism.

A better understanding of this invention will` be had from the following descriptionconside'red in connection with the drawings which illustrate one embodiment of this invention and in which: Fig. 1 is a front elevationI of a water cooler embodying the construction of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical ysection through approximately the center of the waterv cooler.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the refrigerating 'unit removed from the cabinet. i Fig. 4 is a side elevation partly in section of the cabinet with the refrigerating unit removed. Fig. 5 is a transverse horizontal section-online 5--5 of Fig.`1. i l

Fig. 6 is a transverse horizontal sectionv on line 6-6 of Fig. 1. Fig. '7 is a transverse horizontal section online 1-1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a transverse horizontal section on line 8-8 of Fig. 1. l

Referring to the drawings, which merely illustrate one practical embodiment of `this invention in the form of a Water cooler, it will be seen that the refrigerator shown embodies a cabinet I having an insulated upper portion which includes` partment 3, both compartments being surrounded by insulation and separated by a partition 4. Be- ,neath the compartments 2 and 3 is the apparatus lcompartment 6 which houses the refrigerant cirvculating apparatus later to be described. The 5 top of thecabinet is closed by a top 'I provided with an opening 6 surrounded by a rubber bushing 9 to receive the neck of a water vessel I0 in the usual manner. The vessel discharges its contents into a receptacle II which may be 10 drained by the usual connection I2 and which is in thermal conductive relation toa cooling element comprising a boileror evaporator I3 disposed immediately below and partly surrounded by the receptacle II. The cooling element also 15 serves to cool the storage compartment 2. 'Ihe evaporator is supplied with a refrigerant from a refrigerant circulating apparatus I4 comprising in this instance la motor compressor unit I6, the refrigerant being conducted and returned 20 by pipes I 'I and I8 respectively. The temperature of the cooler may be maintained at any desired degree by the usual thermostatic element @I9 and. controller'Zl, the latter being connected in the electrical circuit to the motor compressor 25 unit. The current is supplied to the motor comthe storage compartment 2 and has a removable 35 v louver'ed panel 21 below door 26 and permits access to the apparatus compartment. The louvered panel is removable to permit access to the securing latch as will be later described and also permits entry of cooling air into the apparatus 40 compartment. The air enteringl the louvers ilows over the motor compressor unit and outwardly throughthe rear of the compartment into a duct 28v which extends upw/ardly along theback of the cabinet and discharges at vthe upper endthereof. 45

Adjacent the' upper end of the wall the cooling element or evaporator is secured to the inner surface thereof and projects inwardly therefrom. Adjacent its lower end the wallis provided with a support or bracket '29 which projects laterally 50 therefrom into the cabinet when the wall is in position. The support 29 constitutes a base for the refrigerating apparatus including the motor compressor unit I6 and associated parts. Y A pair of rollers 3| is secured to the lower end 55 vso of the removable wall to facilitate its removal from and replacement into the cabinet. Adjacent the inner end of the support 29 the latter is also provided with a single centrally disposed roller 32,

the periphery of which is higher than the periphery` of rollers 3| when the wall is vertical, that is, the periphery of roller 32 does not lie within the plane perpendicular, to and passing through the lower edge of wall 25. y

The foregoing arrangement of rollers 3| and 32 will cause the wall 'to tilt slightly to the right as shown in Fig. 3 when the wall and the refrigerating unit are removed from the cabinet.

When being replaced into the cabinet the wall and refrigerating unit carried thereby may be rolled into the, cabinet upon the rollers 3| and 32 until almost in position at which time the top end of the wall 25 engages the top end 34 of the wall opening and at which time the upper end of the wall will be practically in position. The lower 'endwill project outwardly and upon further move ment of the wall toward and'into the cabinet-,the wall will pivot about its upper end whereby roll 32 I will leave the oor as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, just as the lower en'd of the removable wall assumes its closed position. The wall may be securely latched in place through the medium of an apertured spring bar 38 having an aperture 31 adjacent its outer end and in position to engage a keeper 38 secured to the wall.

When in position the weight of the refrigerating unit tends to maintain the upper end of the wall in tight engagement with the cabinet whereas the latch holds the lower end securely in posi'- tion. In one aspect the wall may then be said to pivot about the latch by the eiect of gravity and maintain itself in closed position. In order to remove the wall it is merely necessary to remove -the louvered panel 21, disengage spring'bar 36, allow the lower end of the wall to swing downwardly until Aall three rollers 3| and 32 engage the oor and then roll the wall with the refrigerating unit thereon to any desired location. A

'I'he wall may 'also be conveniently utilized to carry the drip pan or tray 4|, if desired.

In order that the motor compressor unit may be removed-without disturbing the wiring connections, a detachableplug 42 (Fig. 8) is provided' which permits a severing of the electrical'connections without necessitating disconnecting any lIt follows from the above disclosure that a refrigerator has been provided in which the cabinet construction and refrigerating unit is so com.-

bined that the latter conveniently may `be re-l moved from the cabinet for service repairvl or reone side by a removable wall having a door therein leading to'one of said compartments, said wall being detachable in its entirety from the cabi net, vmeans for securing said wall in position, and

a refrigerating unit carried by said wall and re-A ratus carried by and removable with said wall.

movable therewith said unit comprising a cooling element carried by said wall in position to be disposed in one of said compartments and a refrigerant circulating apparatus for supplying said element with refrigerant carried by said wall in 5 vposition to be disposedvwithin another of said compartments.

2. In combination a refrigerator .cabinet hav-A -ing a removable wall one end of which pivotally jecting into the cabinet, said unit being remov- .15

able with said wall.

3. In combination a refrigerator cabinet having a removable wall one end of which pivotally engages with the cabinet, means for latching the opposite end in position, said removable wall being constructed and arranged so that gravity tends to maintain the latter end away from the cabinet .when unlatchedtand a refrlgerating unit secured to said removable wall and projecting into thecabinet, said unit being removable with 25 said wall. i

4. In combination a refrigerator cabinet having a removable wall, rollers for supporting said wall and arranged thereunder with respect to the center of gravity of said wall so that said wall 3U will assume an angle less than ninety degrees (90) with respect to the iloor when said wall is removedfrom the cabinet, means for securing said wall in position, and arefriger'ating appa- 35 5. The combination of a refrigerator cabinet having a removablewall and a support projecting laterally therefrom into said cabinet and means for securing said wall in position, with a refrigerating apparatus carried by said sup-.40,

port and removable with said wall, said support and apparatus being so arranged that gravity tends to hold the vupper end of said removable wall in contact with said cabinet when the wall lower end thereof.

'7. A refrigerating structure including a cabinet providing a heat insulated compartment and 65 an apparatus compartment, a heat absorbing element mounted on the inner face of the front wall of the cabinet in position to be disposed within thel heat insulated compartment, a door carried by said wall, a bracket secured to the inner face of said .front wall in position to be disposed within said apparatus compartment, heat dissipating apparatus carried by said bracket, refrigerant circulating connections extending within the cabinet between said apparatus and said element, said front wall together with said element, said bracket; said apparatus and said connections being removable as a unit from the cabinet, and means for detachably locking said unit in cooperative relation with saidcablnet to \close the front side of both of said compartan apparatus compartment, both of said com-/ul partments being open at the front, a unit comprising a wall structure adapted to close the vtus and said element may be effected, and means .for detachably locking said wall structure to said cabinet structure. y

9. A refrigerating structure including a cabinet providing a'heat insulated compartment and an apparatus compartment both open at the front side, a unit comprising la wall structure, a heat absorbing element, a heat dissipating apparatus and connections between said element and apparatus, said element, apparatus and connections being al1 mounted on the wall structurel and said wall structure being adapted to close the open side of both of said compartments, and means for securing said wall structure in cooperative relation with said cabinet, said apparatus being so mounted on the wall structure that the weight thereof when said structure is secured to the cabinet urges the upper portion of said wall structure into sealing engagement with the cabinet.

10. A refrigerating structure comprising a c abinet providing a heat insulated compartment and an apparatus compartment both of said compartments being open at the front side, a wall structure adapted to close of said compartments and constructed to permit access there through to the insulated compartment, means for securing said wall structure in cooperative closing relation with said cabinet, a refrigerating unit including a, heat absorbing element and a heat dissipating apparatus carried by said wall structure in position to be disposed within said heat insulated compartment and said apparatus compartment respectively, said wall structure and refrigerating unit being separable as a unit from 20 said cabinet, said unit being `so mounted on the Wall structure as, in conjunction with said securing means, to effect a sealing relation between the wall structure and the walls of the heat insulated compartment.

' CARL E. L. LIPMAN. 

